• Enhancing Dow AgroSciences' impact on cassava improvement (cassava is the staple daily diet for more than 500 million people in sub-Saharan Africa, and has been threatened by disease);

• Supporting key organizations to increase the impact of their existing food security programs; and

• Increasing public awareness and understanding of the realities of food insecurity.

"We are committed to serving the needs of the growing world," said Gordon Slack, Dow AgroSciences Global Leader, Finance and Public Affairs. "Our people are passionate about finding innovative ways to solve some of the world's most complex problems.

Our global food security initiative is just one way we are demonstrating our commitment to those in need and living out our brand promise: Working together to deliver on the promise of agriculture."

During a year-long planning process, Dow AgroSciences and collaborating organizations developed a comprehensive strategy that leverages proven food security programs and creates new programs to serve the hungry and help farmers in developing countries effectively implement sustainable agricultural practices.

The Dow AgroSciences food security initiative will initially address the needs of the hungry in two geographies - Greater Indianapolis and Kenya.

The goal of the work in these geographies is to increase awareness and understanding of global food insecurity issues and their interconnectivity with modern agricultural practices. The next phase of activity will be to expand the initiatives to other geographies.

Dow AgroSciences employees will support and leverage the data-driven programming of the Indy Hunger Network to address identified root causes of food insecurity in Greater Indianapolis. The Indy Hunger Network aims by 2015 to bridge an estimated 20 million meal gap in the food supply for the hungry.

Globally, Dow AgroSciences will focus its resources on addressing food insecurity in Africa. Initially, this will be accomplished in Kenya, in part, through a collaborative agreement with AMPATH-Kenya.

Established in 1997, AMPATH is a collaboration between Kenya's Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital, Moi University, and a consortium of North American Universities. AMPATH, as well as other collaborating institutions, will serve as conduits for fostering relationship-building, knowledge-sharing, and cultural understanding among farmers, agricultural educators, students and scientists.

In addition, Dow AgroSciences will work to enhance education and capacity-building, local-area access to sustainable agriculture resources, on-the-ground support, employee involvement and connectivity within the global agricultural community.

"We are fortunate to have collaborating organizations that have made tremendous strides in addressing food insecurity," said Slack. "With their help, we hope to make a difference in the lives of those suffering and create sustainable solutions for the long-term."

Follow the progress of this initiative on Twitter at #HungerSolutions.